Shore Leave: A Vanishing Lifeline for Seafarers and How PRAXES Can Help
For generations, shore leave has been a vital lifeline for seafarers. Time on land allows crews to rest, recharge, connect with loved ones, and take care of essential needs. But according to a new report from the World Maritime University, funded by the ITF Seafarers’ Trust, Shore Leave: Rare, Brief and in Danger of Extinction, this lifeline is under serious threat.
The study surveyed nearly 6,000 seafarers worldwide and found that:
1 in 4 seafarers don’t get any shore leave during their contracts.
70% of seafarers go ashore fewer than three times during their 6+ month long deployment.
When shore leave does happen, 93.5% spend less than six hours ashore.
For many seafarers, that’s barely enough time to run a quick errand, let alone decompress from months at sea.
Why Shore Leave is Slipping Away
The report identifies multiple, overlapping barriers:
Short port stays & heavy workloads: Inspections, maintenance, and operational demands mean little time for personal breaks.
High transport costs & remote port facilities: Reaching town from a distant berth can be prohibitively expensive.
Port state bureaucracy and company restrictions: Bureaucratic hurdles, lingering COVID-19 policies, and internal company rules all limit opportunities.
Limited welfare facilities: In some ports, there’s simply nowhere convenient for seafarers to go.
As one respondent put it:
“We are the soldiers of the sea… during COVID, we sacrificed so much, yet there is no respect for seafarers.”
Why It Matters
Reduced shore leave isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a well-being and safety issue. Time off-ship can help reduce fatigue, improve morale, and even support retention in an industry facing looming crew shortages. Without it, seafarers face a “toxic combination ” of long hours, isolation, and no chance to decompress.
How PRAXES Bridges the Shore Leave Gap
The decline of shore leave creates a critical healthcare void that can’t be ignored. Seafarers need immediate access to medical care and wellness support. PRAXES can help bridge the gap by providing:
24/7 Telemedicine Support Anywhere:
When getting to a clinic ashore isn’t possible, our telemedicine services ensure fast, expert advice from emergency doctors who understand the medical challenges faced at sea.
Specialized Medical Kits:
PRAXES supplies custom medical kits reviewed by our medical directors, as well as internationally recognized standard kits, including MCA, WHO, and IMO kits. Through our globally based partners, we provide a complete solution for medications and equipment. Every kit is expertly packaged, fully compliant with regulations, and designed to maximize shelf life, ensuring crews have the right tools and treatments when immediate shore access isn’t possible.
Health Monitoring & Case Management:
PRAXES Connect software enables ongoing tracking of medical issues and injuries, with tools to track and manage medications, review doctors’ notes, and generate reports, helping prevent conditions from worsening during long stretches without shore access.
The decline of shore leave creates a critical healthcare void that can’t be ignored. Seafarers need immediate access to medical care and wellness support. PRAXES can help bridge the gap by providing:
The Bottom Line
The Shore Leave report is clear: without coordinated action, the concept of shore leave could vanish entirely. While industry and regulators work to restore this essential right, solutions like PRAXES provide seafarers with vital health support onboard, because no one should have to face months at sea without care.
Read the full report: Carrera-Arce, M., Baumler, R., Bhatia, B.S., & Du, L. (2025). Shore Leave: Rare, Brief and in Danger of Extinction. World Maritime University. doi: 10.21677/250326
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